The husbandman chooses a piece of land from the wilderness; he fences, clears, and tills it, and plants it with choice vines, expecting a rich harvest. This plot of ground, in its superiority to the uncultivated waste, he expects to do him honor by showing the results of his care and toil in its cultivation. So God had chosen a people from the world to be trained and educated by Christ. The prophet says, "The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plant." Isa. 5:7. Upon this people God had bestowed great privileges, blessing them richly from His abundant goodness. He looked for them to honor Him by yielding fruit. They were to reveal the principles of His kingdom. In the midst of a fallen, wicked world they were to represent the character of God.

Husbonden vælger et stykke jord i ødemarken. Han sætter et gærde omkring det, rydder det og graver det og tilplanter det med udsøgte vinstokke og venter at få en rig høst. Han venter at dette stykke jord i modsætning til de uopdyrkede områder vil bringe ham anerkendelse ved at bære frugt og vise resultat af hans omhu og arbejde med at opdyrke det. Således havde Gud udvalgt et folk i verden for at lade det oplære og uddanne af Kristus. Profeten siger: "Thi Hærskarers Herres vingård er Israels hus, og Judas mænd er hans yndlingsplantning." I sin uendelige godhed havde Gud skænket dette folk store forrettigheder og velsignet det i rigt mål. Han ventede, at de ville ære ham ved at bære frugt. De skulle åbenbare hans riges principper De skulle fremvise Guds karakter midt i en falden og ond verden.